The obesity epidemic is constantly referenced in the news.  Michelle Obama is focusing on the issue among our school children.  Yet there is an issue beyond the health and lifestyle factors, and that is the problem of obesity with regard to productivity in the workplace.

According to a presentation last year at the Obesity Society’s annual conference, overweight people are less productive than their thin counterparts. 

• Because they are more likely to be unhealthy, they take more time off.
• When at work, they (morbidly obese) are producing less, equal to 22 days of lost productivity each year.

The combination of these two factors is one reason given for locating manufacturing efforts in countries that do not yet have to deal with this specific physical issue.

In addition, this year’s new health care bill will be including a great many obese people who were formerly uninsured.  This is causing budget projections to escalate without an assumed productivity gain.

Here are the current numbers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Obesity Society:

• $1,429:  Additional money obese people spent on medical compared with normal weight in 2006
• $12.8 billion:  Annual losses to U.S. business from absenteeism due to obesity
• $30 billion:  Estimated annual losses to U.S. businesses from reduced productivity due to obesity
• $2.8 billion:  Additional gas in autos (bought in 2005) due to extra body weight in vehicles (vs. 1960)

We certainly never want to discriminate in the workplace, and empathy for those with problems shows both a caring work environment and a compassionate society.  However when companies are already working with a “lean” work force, those numbers will make a difference in hiring the best fit for the job.